Dental plaque is a bacterial collection with their products on the teeth or other solid oral structures, covered by a jelly-like tenacious material and it is responsible for two major dental diseases; caries and periodontal disease (Chandra, 2000). Good oral hygiene is a foundation step in the development of disease-free oral cavity of infants through adolescents (Srivastava, 2011). Plaque control is of prime importance for the prevention of these diseases and for good dental health as it helps to reduce the number of microorganisms present in the oral cavity, hence, reducing the dental plaque (Muthu and Sivakumar, 2009; Tare, 2007).
Dental plaque is the combination of bacteria embedded in a matrix of salivary proteins and bacterial products superimposed on the acquired pellicle (Berkovitz, et al., 2011). It is an example of a biofilm, a term used to describe relatively undefinable microbial community associated with a tooth surface or any other hard, non-shedding material (Reddy, 2008). Plaque can also be described as a soft, adherent, predominantly microbial mass, which accumulates on the tooth surface in the absence of oral hygiene measures (Berkovitz, et al., 2011). Dental plaque cannot be easily washed away by vigorous rinsing or water sprays and it also resists disruption by antimicrobial agents. Therefore, dental plaque is removed by individual mechanical intervention, for example, toothbrushing (Bathla, 2011).
2.1.2 Classification of Dental Plaque
Dental plaque is broadly classified as supragingival or subgingival based on its position on the tooth surface toward the gingival margin. Supragingival plaque is found at or above the gingival margin. Therefore, it can be further differentiated into coronal plaque, whi...
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...reasingly diverse microflora. Bridging refers to the observation that two non-coaggregating strains may participate together in a multi generic aggregate if they recognize a common partner by distinct mechanism. Fusobacterium nucleatum is believed to be important in bridging between primary and secondary colonizers during plaque maturation. Examples of interaction of secondary colonizers with early colonizers are Fusobacterium nucleatum with Streptococcus sanguis; Provotella loescheii with Actinomyces viscosus. The examples of interaction among secondary colonizers are F. nucleatum with P. gingivalis; F. nucleatum with Treponema denticola.
2) Multiplication:
Multiplication of attached organisms leads to confluent growth and biofilm formation. Adherent bacteria synthesise extracellular polymers.
3) Detachment:
Detachment of bacteria allows colonisation at new sites.
Jones, D. J., Munro, C. L., & Grap, M. J. (2011). Natural history of dental plaque accumulation
Periodontitis (less commonly known as pyorrhea) is a cluster of diseases that affect the tissues that support and surround teeth. These tissues are collectively known as the periodontium. The disease is caused by microbes that grow on the tooth surface. another feature of the disease is the fact that once these microbes establish themselves, the immune response by the body tends to be over-aggressive, which can lead to tissue loss and other problems. Typically this disease is diagnosed using a multi-faceted approach, which includes using hand instruments to measure the depth of periodontal pockets and taking X-ray films of the patients mouth to determine bone loss.
Bitewing radiographs are an important adjunct to clinical examination and maybe necessary to help the clinician detect and diagnose caries (REF). However ionising radiation from x-ray exposure has the potential to cause malignancy in the patient and therefore clin...
A dental hygienist is a very important role in any dental office. As stated by a dental assistant, “Dental hygienists work closely with the dentist as well as hands on with the patients. They assist dentists with operative procedures such as fillings and extractions, and making molds of patients teeth” (Wilson, Jennifer). A large part of their job is teaching patients proper dental care to ensure a lifetime of healthy teeth. This includes proper brushing and flossing techniques. According to the job out look, a day as a dental hygienist can include taking x-rays, cleaning and scaling teeth, charting treatment plans, putting sealants on teeth, taking impressions of teeth and completing information about the patient’s oral and medical history (Summary). In some states dental hygienist are allowed to give local anesthetic and place and remove sutures (Delivering Local Anesthetic). According to advantages of becoming a dental hygienist, hygienists spend more hands on time with the patients than the dentist does. These are some of the instruments that dental hygienists use on a daily basis: toothbrush, scaler, mirror, ultrasonic scaler, explorer, suction, computer, salvia ejector, rubber cap polisher, dental models, x-ray machine and probe. The dental hygienist uses a toothbrush to remove soft plaque from the teeth. Plaque is a soft coating on the teeth that contain bacteria. The bacteria can cause tooth decay and gum disease. The amount of plaque on the teeth gives the hygienist an idea of how well the daily brushing and flossing of the patient’s teeth are completed on a regular basis. The scaler is used to remove hardened plaque or calculus from the teeth. The mirror is used to look closely at the surfaces of the teeth a...
Periodontal disease is an infection of the gingiva and alveolar bone. Periodontal disease increases in prevalence and severity as people age. Periodontal disease is precursored by gingivitis.
Ok let’s talk about flossing. Flossing also helps to remove the plaque that forms on your teeth, it removes the plaque from the areas where the toothbrush cannot reach, and this areas are along the gum line and between your teeth. And as I already said, if we do not remove this plaque, guess what, we will end up with decay and infected gums.
Infection control is a central concept to every practice of health care providers. Its main objective is to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases from both patients and health personnel (Martin et al., 2010). In dental clinic, infection control is a continuous concern for its professionals. They have to contact patients routinely and be exposed to their blood, saliva, dental plaque and pus that may contain infectious pathogens. It is important for the dental professionals to treat these fluids as if they are infectious and special precautions must be taken to handle them. In this essay, I will highlight the scope of infection control practices in dental clinics and the ways through which infectious microorganisms are transmitted in the dental clinic. Also, I will talk about some infection control guidelines implemented in dental clinics and how they meet the needs of the patients. Finally, from a personal perspective, I will mention some factors that affect the implantation of infection control guidelines and procedures.
The prevention of periodontitis is straightforward for patients. The first step in prevention is to assure that the patient is brushing twice a day utilising the proper brushing technique. Patients who fear the contraction of periodontitis are not encouraged to brush too much however, as excessive brushing with poor technique can lead to other oral problems such as the reduction of the gums (gingival recession). Brushing at least twice a day help inhibit the growth of unwanted bacteria and prevents plaque, and thus tartar from forming. Patients who wish to prevent periodontitis should also floss daily. Flossing daily includes the spaces between each tooth, as well as behind the last two molars on the mandibular and maxillary arches. Flossing should get in below the gum line to prevent bacteria from congregating just below the surface. The last at home, over-the-counter treatment available for the prevention of periodontitis is the use of an antiseptic mouthwash. While proper use of mouthwash in conjunction with the other techniques can help cure gingivitis, once periodontal disease has elapsed stage 1 of periodontal disease, no amount of mouthwash or brushing can restore attachment lost in the periodontium.
Tooth brushing techniques causing gingival trauma are a significant factor for gingival recession. The frequency, duration and force of brushing all contribute to recession. Excessive force and improper technique may lead to ...
Dental professionals should promote a message that a strong biologic connection exists between oral and systemic health. Therefore, having a good understanding of oral health and systemic health is beneficial and can help you protect yourself. Streptococcus mutants, the bacteria found in periodontal infection are also the bacteria found in many of the cardiovascular diseases. This establishes a strong relationship between these two conditions.
However, on the a recent visit dated 23/12/13 the patient’s gingival condition had deteriorated, presenting with an increased plaque scores of 34% and bleeding scores to 63%. Intra oral examination also showed generalised oedema and erythema throughout in the mouth in response to this increase in plaque bacteria. The presence of supra-gingival calculus on lower anterior teeth and both sites of upper buccal molars and the patients BPE now reads 212 /121, putting the patients caries risk at a ‘High’ status.
Saliva contains glucose; therefore, if you have uncontrolled diabetes, the amount of glucose present in your saliva is elevated. We naturally have somewhere between 200 to 300 bacterial species in our mouths: Some of these bacteria are good and some of them are bad. Streptococcus mutans is typically the bacterium responsible for causing tooth decay; whereas, periodontal disease is usually caused by a mixture of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola.
Biofilms can form on many surfaces, including natural aquatic systems, human teeth, medical devices like artificial heart valves and catheters,
Addition of air and mechanical mixing to enchance the growth of bacteria and ficilitate subsequent waste reduction
A biofilm is a layer consisting of various combinations of many different organisms, autotrophic and heterotrophic. They are dense, organized communities of cells, encased in a self-produced slime. The bacteria grow together in water like atmospheres, attaching to a solid surface, forming a small ecosystem. Biofilms are known as a micro-environment, a micro-habitat, or a slime matrix. They help decompose dead organisms and recycle carbon and nutrients.